Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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To evaluate the burden of disease, investigate the treatment and response to treatment caused by exposure to stinging tree plants presenting to Cairns Hospital over a 3-year period. Our secondary aim was to examine the benefit from treating such exposures with topical dilute hydrochloric acid (HCl). ⋯ Stinging tree exposure results in significant presentations to the Cairns ED each year. Pain is immediate and severe and there are no clear first aid or definitive treatment recommendations. Further work is needed to ascertain the best first aid and definitive treatment including a formal trial of dilute HCl.
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Emerg Med Australas · Aug 2023
Comment Observational StudyImpact of time of intensive care unit transfer and outcomes in patients with septic shock: An observational study.
To evaluate the association between time from ED presentation to intensive care unit (ICU) transfer on mortality in patients presenting with septic shock. ⋯ In patients presenting to the ED with septic shock, ED-to-ICU time less than 4 h was not associated with altered 90-day mortality, although this should be interpreted with caution due to study limitations.
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Emerg Med Australas · Aug 2023
Triage to electrocardiogram sign-off time in patients with acute coronary syndrome at a metropolitan Sydney hospital.
To compare the time from triage to ECG sign-off in patients with acute coronary syndrome, before and after the introduction of an electronic medical record-integrated ECG workflow system (Epiphany). Additionally, to assess for any correlation between patient characteristics and ECG sign-off times. ⋯ The introduction of the Epiphany system has significantly reduced the triage to ECG sign-off time in the ED. Despite this, there remains a large proportion of patients with acute coronary syndrome who do not have an ECG signed-off within the guideline-recommended 10 min.
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Emerg Med Australas · Aug 2023
Spread of stinging ants to oceanic islands, and the need to raise awareness of prevention and treatment of ant stings.
Venomous invasive ants are rapidly dispersing throughout oceanic islands. Medics unfamiliar with envenomation or venom-induced anaphylaxis may be unprepared for the range of possible reactions and corresponding treatments. We detail the suboptimal treatment of a patient suffering anaphylaxis from an ant sting on a remote island and describe what treatment should have been provided. ⋯ A rise in invasive hymenopteran stings on oceanic islands is inevitable, and proactively improving public awareness and medical training could save lives.